Jessica Eisenberg is probably a new name to most out there, but this young songstress comes with a stacked set of skills and a strong voice that won’t keep her in obscurity for very long. Touching on influences like Brit-pop, shoegaze, psych-haze and campfire folk music, Jezzy & The Belles is the sort of band you’ll hear emanating out of a coffee shop that plants enough intrigue for you to walk inside.
She comes out swinging on Compasses & Maps, leading off with “By Proxy,” which highlights her breathy voice and combines her gentle work with strategically placed electronica and dream-pop vibes. Though her electronic work here is used sparingly, it makes another appearance on the quickest tune here, “Holiness As High As This,” which is packed with beats. She continues this formula on “Confess Child,” which resembles Massive Attack in the best of ways. Jezzy also takes a stab at more rock ‘n’ roll territory, with “Does It Make You Feel Like A Man” and the nearly alt-rock sounding “Sailing Into Curious Lands” being tossed in the mix alongside the calmer atmospheres that dominate most of this disc. Though she plays guitar these days, Jezzy began with a classical background and played violin, which becomes evident with her often delicate background arrangements.
Though at her base she is a singer/songwriter playing quaint, soothing songs, Eisenberg’s willingness to bring so many varied ideas to the table separates this from a sea of like-minded artists. Her strong lyrical symbolism and use of metaphors are wonderfully sophisticated for her years and her penchant for soft melodies are often injected in the ideal places. Though Compasses & Maps may not be a game changer, it’s a glorious listen and a sign of significant things to come for this young talent. As a reference point, think of a more youthful PJ Harvey mixed with Nina Gordon.
